Potter, Padfoot, and Pizza
by quillstrokes
Summary: Padfoot has run away from his owner and Lily takes it upon herself to find his home. This in turn causes Lily to run into a certain bespectacled uni student who swears the big black dog is his. Written for jily AU fest on tumblr. Includes a sneak peek at my future jily multi-chapter "The Quidditch Commentator"
1. Potter Padfoot and Pizza

**Potter, Padfoot, and Pizza**

Lily Evans had spent half the day at the park trying to study her uni notes but no matter how hard she tried, she got distracted. It was the start of term and she was already dreading it. That couldn't be healthy.

It was autumn so the leaves were all brilliant colours. Lily marveled at every single pretty red, gold, or orange leaf that drifted from the branches that she sat under. Lily stopped studying to grab a coffee down the street from a local cafe. Lily drew in the margins of her notes: stars and swirls mixing into her small handwriting. Lily even sat for an hour on her stomach, building leaf houses with leaves and sticks.

Quite frankly, she wasn't really studying.

Leaning back onto her elbows she spotted a large black dog wandering around the park. It looked well taken care of and Lily imagined the dog belonged to the couple sitting at a park bench at the end of the park. The black dog was having a grande old time.

Lily watched with a smile creeping onto her face as the dog bounded after small mammals, birds, and drank from the small pond not to far from where she sat. It was running around gaily, like it had not a care in the world. Lily giggled when it started smelling the leaves and rolling in them.

Lily went back to her notes, highlighting a few words and glancing back up. The couple had left the park but they hadn't taken the dog. A few lines of worry crossed Lily's brow. The large black dog was now panting not far from where Lily sat under the trees. It was looking around the park jovially—not seeming bothered that the couple had left.

"Odd." Lily murmured, standing up and adjusting her jumper.

The dog saw her moving and it's ears perked up, eyes frozen on Lily's cautiously moving form.

"Hello," Lily called warmly to the animal.

The dog tilted it's head.

"Who do you belong to?" Lily asked it, grinning and holding out her fingers for the dog to sniff as she approached slowly.

The dog sniffed her fingers lazily before flopping onto it's back and wagging it's tail. Lily chuckled and got onto her knees to rub the dog's stomach. Once she had gained the trust of the animal she quickly reached up to grab a silver and black collar hanging around it's neck.

The silver name tag was in the shape of a star and it said the animal was called Padfoot. Lily felt her lips quirk up. What an odd name for an animal.

"Padfoot."

The dog grumbled happily from beneath her hands. Padfoot then began licking her face gratefully and she laughed, pushing the dog from her lap. Padfoot didn't take well to that and put his paws on her shoulders, lapping her entire face enthusiastically.

"Oi!" a voice shouted irritably from somewhere behind them.

Padfoot dropped from Lily's body like he'd been shot. Lily stood up and whirled around in accusation at the yelling person. Padfoot slunk behind Lily's heels to hide form the approaching man. Lily noted the man was about her age and he had on a hoodie from the same Uni she went to. Lily reached back to touch Padfoot's head in support as the man came over to them, red in the face.

"Come here!" the man swept around Lily to try and grab the dog roughly.

Lily grabbed the man's hand before he could grab Padfoot, "Excuse you!"

The man actually glanced up at her with an annoyed face and then he actually looked at her. They stared at each other a few moments and Lily saw he had a kind face—despite his yelling. She admired his hazel eyes behind thick rimmed glasses and noted his bag that was slung over his shoulder was slightly open showing english books.

"Hello." the black haired man muttered, hand shooing right up to his already messy hair, "Thanks for finding my dog—he's a bloody—anyways I'll just—" the boy tried to grab the dog again but Lily blocked him and crossed her arms.

"How do I know this is your dog?" she mused thoughtfully.

The boy scratched his head, "Er…his name is Padfoot and he's my dog?"

"How do I know you aren't trying to steal him?" Lily asked, "The dog has been here all afternoon. You could've read his tag. How do I know _you_ own him? How did you not notice your dog was missing?"

A flash of annoyance crossed the face of the man, "Well, yeah, that'd be because the git managed to open the locks on my front door when I was at class. Decided to take himself for a walk." Hazel eyes glared down at the dog who was slinking out of reach behind Lily's protection.

Lily stood her ground, "Until I see identification, I won't let you take him anywhere."

Instead of placing accusing eyes on Lily the boy glared at the dog and muttered, "You planned this somehow you _rotten_ git."

Padfoot wagged his tail. Lily grabbed Padfoot's collar and started dragging the dog towards her notes and books. The man didn't even bother following her.

"I'll see you later then?" he called after her as Lily picked up her things and fed Padfoot some of her biscuit from earlier that day.

Lily stared at the boy incredulously, "What makes you say that?"

The man snorted, "because _that's_ my dog and I'm going to need him back."

"Right." Lily answered doubtfully, patting her side, "Come along Padfoot."

The dog happily trotted after Lily and they left the black haired man standing alone in the middle of the park. Lily saw out of the corner of her eye when the man raised his hands to his hair again—pulling at the roots.

"Traitor!" the man shouted after Padfoot who trotted alongside Lily, quite content, "You're sleeping outside for the _rest of your life_ mutt!"

Lily sent the man a glare before dragging Padfoot along home with her. Lily passed the Pet Store on the way home and grabbed a leash and some food for the happy dog. The man at the Pet Store supplied Lily with the address to the pet shelter where she could get fliers to find Padfoot's real family.

it took Lily two days to get the fliers up and meanwhile, Padfoot remained happily at her flat. They went for walks every morning and every night. Lily took the dog with her everywhere because she was enjoying the company. Lily had always wanted a dog but she could never get any with her previous flat mates. Now that she lived alone it was nice to have a friend to sit and watch telly with.

On their third night together, Lily and Padfoot were bonding over pizza and ice cream on the couch when the doorbell rang. Giving Padfoot the crust to her pizza, Lily stood up and brushed back her red hair in surprise. It was later in the afternoon and she had been planning to just hang out with the dog. She didn't recall any of her mates offering to drop by.

Momentarily Lily wondered if Padfoot's owners had seen the flier. Opening her thick oak door a piece of paper was thrust into her face. Befuddled, Lily backed out of the doorway and a voice called cheerily.

"Hello, again."

Lily stared. it was the man from the park and he was wearing a button down shirt with his slacks. He looked older and more mature now as he waved a piece of paper in front of her face. The smile on his face was mischievous and his hazel eyes twinkled triumphantly.

"What are you doing here?" Lily demanded, glancing back behind her to make sure Padfoot was out of sight.

"Getting my dog." the man replied irritably, "Would you read the paper?"

Lily snatched the paper he kept waving in her face and read that it was an certification to a _Mr. James Eugene Potter_ from a breeder for a dog called—

"Padfoot." the words on her tongue were sheepish and she looked up at the man, James Potter, hesitantly, "_Oh_."

James potter crossed his arms over his chest and the grin of satisfaction was clear on his smug face, "So my dog, yeah?"

Embarrassed, Lily opened her door up wider and allowed the male to step into her hallway. James walked swiftly into her flat, looking around the the pictures and stopping at a particular one of Lily and her mate Mary at uni together.

"You know Mary McDonald?" he looked at her in surprise, "I play football with her."

Lily closed her front door and eyed the boy in surprise, "I've never seen you at matches."

"Likewise." he replied smoothly, but his hazel eyes were regarding her rather intensely behind his glasses.

"Er, so, your dog." Lily motioned him to come into the flat more, "I hope you don't mind but I've kind of been spoiling him—"

As she guided James into the room where she and Padfoot had been eating pizza and ice cream together a grin spread across James' face. Padfoot looked up from the couch where he had been finishing off another piece of pizza from the box Lily had left on the table. James turned back to Lily who was red in the face.

"Pizza and ice cream?"

"I _know_, I'm _so_ sorry but I was—"

"At least not on a school night."

Lily stopped all her apologies and stared at James in shock at the words that had come out his mouth. James was grinning at her like he'd never even been mad that she took Padfoot from him in the first place. James shook his head like he was disappointed but his smile was still wide.

"Come on Evans, how am I going to get him home now?"

"I don't—" then she paused, "How did you know my name?"

James raised a suggestive eyebrow, "You _did_ put out posters with your name printed on them."

Lily had no comeback. Where had this boy come from? More importantly Lily didn't like the way he kept making her blush with a simple smirk in her general direction. Lily watched as James took to the couch to hook a leash around Padfoot's collar. Enticing the big black dog with Pizza, James lured the Padfoot off the couch and back over to Lily.

"I'm happy he's got a family." Lily muttered, looking away from James, feeling butterflies in her stomach when his hand touched her shoulder.

"Thanks for caring for him." Lily glanced up at his soft tone and when their eyes connected his wicked smirk returned, "A bloke like me can certainly appreciate a girl who takes better care of his dog than he ever could."

Lily smiled and showed James to the door, leaning against the frame as he lured Padfoot outside into the cool autumn weather. Lily watched James take the dog away and sighed deeply. The flat already felt empty with Padfoot gone and Lily found herself trying to memorize the exact shape of the smirk on James' face.

She was just considering texting Mary and asking her for football match times when the phone in her pocket vibrated.

_Same time next week? I'll bring the pizza if you prove your favorite flavour of ice cream. xJP_

A smile retraced it's way back across her features and she instantly started typing back a message.

**How'd you get my number?**

_The same way I got your name._

**Clever. Do you like vanilla or chocolate?**

_Both._

_BTW my football matches are tuesdays and thursdays at 6pm_

Lily felt warmth flooding her every pore as she closed her front door and leaned against the oak, smiling down at her screen.

Perhaps this term wouldn't be as dreadful as she originally anticipated.

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><p>I hope you enjoyed this oneshot. It's been along time since I put anything on here. This was originally written for the tumblr AU party that happened a few months back. I figured it had been a while since <em>Miss Congeniality<em> so this is my gift...along with a sneak peek at my new multi-chapter I've been working on called _The Quidditch Commentator. _

**_Go ahead, click next. _**


	2. The Quidditch Commentator

**This is a rough draft of the first chapter of my future ****multi chapter that is currently in the edit/review session. I am hoping to start having it up and updating by Thanksgiving. It's a story based around the idea that Lily loved to fly based on what we know about her through The Prince's Tale. It will be mostly canon-which is harder for me to write soooooo this is an adventure. I hope to see you all as readers on the future when the first chapter is officially uploaded. ****  
><strong>

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><p><strong>Hogwarts, Autumn 1973<strong>

**The Start Of Quidditch Season**

The start of the school year was always so refreshing to Lily. As the leaves changed it always felt like the start of something new, real, and fantastic. She breathed in the smell of old ink, parchment, and books. Although she loved being home, she loved being at school more among the people like her. Particularly, people who enjoyed quidditch as much as she did.

Betting for the winner of the Quidditch Cup took place far away from the teachers at the abandoned East Wing of the library. A selected manager ran the betting pool from each house. Whoever led Gryffindor took the betting's on Gryffindor wins, Ravenclaw had their own betting pool, and so on and so forth. Lily's mate Mary MacDonald was on her first year of running the bets for Gryffindor. Mary was finding the lack of moral support for the Gryffindor Quidditch team absolutely dismal even if she _had_ put in bets for a Ravenclaw win. Slytherin had the highest amount of support because the Captain was ruthless as Hell and Mary was sure he cheated at every game.

A hand pushed two coins in front of Mary's nose and Mary heard a familiar twinkle of laughter, "Mary don't look so sour! It's Quidditch season!"

Heads turned to Lily Evans, standing at the Gryffindor Betting table looking positively cheerful and confident. Mary envied Lily's always positive outlook and her cheery disposition. The muggleborn witch had her red hair done in two braids down her back and her green eyes were done up with makeup. Her arm was wrapped in that of Serverus Snape, a third year Slytherin who wasn't exactly a Quidditch fanatic. Snape glanced over at Lily, as if to ask if they could go back to their studying but Lily, ever the chatty Kathy, continued talking to Mary.

"Two galleons on Gryffindor winning the House Cup." Lily stated with no falter in her loyal tone.

Mary stared at Lily Evans in disbelief as she put in _two_ galleons for Gryffindor to win the season with a novice flyer as its Captain.

"Why?" Mary implored the witch, "I'm not even betting on Gryffindor!"

Lily grinned, "Try-outs were last week and I tried out for seeker." Her green eyes were bright, "I mean with Potter as captain it's _obvious_ he's going to switch his position to chaser because that's what he's best at so I'm hoping he'll pick me for seeker!"

"He's not even that impressive." Severus Snape interjected with a bitter tone, "You're better than him."

Lily smiled at her mate and poked him in the side, "Please Sev, I know James Potter is an arse but he's a good flier…"

"Oh come on," a second year Gryffindor wearing a jersey moaned, "Even I'm not putting in for a Gryffindor win and I'm on the team."

"Have a little faith, Anna!" Lily joked to the girl who frowned.

"My last name is Faith." The girl replied, "I've got enough faith for all of us." And then she and her second year mates laughed and high fived around their small pow-wow by the window.

Lily turned to Severus to start pushing him out of the throng of quidditch fanatics when a voice stopped her in her tracks.

"James Potter's a complete sarry arse of a rookie!" A voice cut in gleefully from the right where the Slytherin betting pool was.

Lily turned to see that Gregory Mills and the rest of the Slytherin quidditch team had heard Lily's kind words towards the young captain of the Gryffindor quidditch team. Lily eyed Gregory Mills up and down once with a fleeting look of distaste. Mills was big, burly, and a beater to boot. Everyone knew him, as he was loud and obnoxious around the halls always boasting about his wins. He claimed how right out of Hogwarts he'd play professional quidditch. Gregory Mills almost resembled a black bear with his bushy face, dark black eyes, and wide nose. The rest of the Slytherin team wasn't that wonderful looking either, but Gregory Mills definitely took the cake with his strange amount of body hair.

Mills slipped off the table he'd been sitting on and came over to the Gryffindor table leering at Lily who stood her ground while Severus took a step back. Lily pursed her lips and didn't stand down.

"James Potter didn't catch the snitch _once_ last season." Mills snarled at Lily, "What makes you think he'll be any better catching quaffles while I'm aiming my bludger at his skinny arse?"

Lily wrinkled her nose in distaste, "At least his skinny arse, "she began with a sad smile in Mills' direction, "is a fair sight prettier than your hairy arse. Tell me, have you ever shaved or do you think girls fancy snogging someone who looks like a bear?"

Mills blinked stupidly at Lily for a minute before shouting and pulling out his wand at her. Severus Snape tried to pull Lily away but the witch simply pulled out her own wand and pointed it in Mills' direction with extra flare. Mary jumped up out of her chair and also pulled out her wand, people were starting to chant "fight" and Lily was smirking charmingly at Mills.

"You little _bitch_." He shouted, sparks flying from his wand.

Lily pursed her lips, "Come now, is that the best insult you've got?"

"Lily don't encourage him." A Gryffindor girl named Bianca hissed.

"Mudblood!" spit came out of Mills' mouth and gasps echoed around the room at the derogatory term Mills thundered in Lily's direction.

Everyone in the room knew Lily Evans didn't take being made fun of for being muggleborn very slightly. In second year she'd turned Andrea Cutler's hair blue for two weeks when the witch told Lily that her muggle sister was probably retarded. For a moment, Lily was cool, her face showing no expression. Severus Snape took a step towards Lily, his own wand out, and acting like he was unsure of what to do next. Mills sneered at Lily now, his words clearly hitting Lily Evans in the gut.

It was so fast that later, first years could've sworn that Lily Evans didn't even raise her wand. One second, Mills was standing there sneering at Evans, and the next he was on the floor screaming in agony, as the hair on his body multiplied and started covering him in shaggy brown hair. His facial hair was growing over his eyes and his Quidditch mates looked like they weren't sure what to do.

Grabbing Severus' hand and throwing her wand back into its pocket Lily sauntered past the Slytherin quidditch team with a smirk.

"I think Mills fancies a trip to the Hospital Wing boys!"

Lily blew a kiss at Mills, who was groaning and shouting incoherent words underneath his furry overcoat. There was a lot of laughter following Lily as she exited but she also heard shouts in her direction that Gryffindor didn't stand a chance. Lily just hoped that for once, James Potter would come through for her.


End file.
